What Does A Crossing Guard Do (including their Typical Day at Work)

Stan T.Career, Overview

Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Crossing Guards

Crossing Guards guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as streets, schools, railroad crossings, or construction sites.

Salary
$34220
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match


What they do

Crossing Guards guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as streets, schools, railroad crossings, or construction sites.

  • Direct or escort pedestrians across streets, stopping traffic as necessary.
  • Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as street and railroad crossings and construction sites.
  • Monitor traffic flow to locate safe gaps through which pedestrians can cross streets.
  • Communicate traffic and crossing rules and other information to students and adults.

Typical day

On a daily basis, Crossing Guards stop speeding vehicles to warn drivers of traffic laws. They direct traffic movement or warn of hazards, using signs, flags, lanterns, and hand signals.

A typical day for a Crossing Guard will also include:

  • Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as street and railroad crossings and construction sites.
  • Communicate traffic and crossing rules and other information to students and adults.
  • Direct or escort pedestrians across streets, stopping traffic as necessary.
  • Distribute traffic control signs and markers at designated points.
  • Monitor traffic flow to locate safe gaps through which pedestrians can cross streets.

We asked some Crossing Guards a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job? 0% said yes
How important is it to work in a team in this job? 30% said very important
Do you have group discussions everyday in this job? 56% said yes
Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job? 54% said yes
Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job? 4% said yes
Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job? 84% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Crossing Guards also record license numbers of vehicles disregarding traffic signals, and report infractions to appropriate authorities. They may also discuss traffic routing plans and control point locations with superiors.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Crossing Guards inform drivers of detour routes through construction sites. They might also distribute traffic control signs and markers at designated points.

In addition, they stop speeding vehicles to warn drivers of traffic laws.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them report unsafe behavior of children to school officials.

To some Crossing Guards, it is also their responsibility to communicate traffic and crossing rules and other information to students and adults.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

High

Is this job meaningful

Very High

70% said they were satisfied with their job and 72% said they found their job meaningful.


Pros

Suitable for people who like to help and teach others.

Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.

This career is perfect for people who love to work outdoors.

It is very easy to get into this career. Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.

Short working hours (Less than 40 hours per week).

Cons

Not suitable for people who like to solve problems mentally.

One of the lowest paying jobs.

How much do they make

Average salary

$34220 per year

Average hourly wage

$16 per hour

Entry-level Crossing Guards with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $20,960 to $25,680 per year or $10 to $12 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $51,500 $25
Senior (Top 25%) $39,520 $19
Median $30,790 $15
Junior (Bottom 25%) $25,680 $12
No experience (Bottom 10%) $20,960 $10

This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Crossing Guards based on their average annual salary.

Salary by industry Annual Hourly
Nonresidential Building Construction $59050 $28.39
Building Equipment Contractors $50490 $24.27
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools $41550 $19.98
Utility System Construction $41520 $19.96
Other Personal Services $38870 $18.69
Services to Buildings and Dwellings $38760 $18.63
State Government $38260 $18.39
Other Specialty Trade Contractors $37900 $18.22
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction $36720 $17.65
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors $35730 $17.18

View more salary by industries here.

Where can they work

Where can Crossing Guards work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Crossing Guards including the average salary in that industry.

Employers Total Employed Annual Salary Hourly Wages
Local Government 38380 $34260 $16.47
Other Support Services 28200 $35180 $16.92
Elementary and Secondary Schools 8510 $28870 $13.88
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 2510 $36720 $17.65
Employment Services 2300 $34480 $16.58
Investigation and Security Services 1600 $30650 $14.74
Utility System Construction 1080 $41520 $19.96
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 590 $37900 $18.22
State Government 310 $38260 $18.39
Nonresidential Building Construction 170 $59050 $28.39

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
100%

40 hours
0%

More than 40 hours
0%

Working schedule

66%

14%

20%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
13%

Every day
12%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
7%

Every day
11%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
14%

Every day
48%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
82%

Once a year
18%

Once a month
0%

Once a week
0%

Every day
0%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
82%

Slightly competitive
12%

Moderately competitive
3%

Highly competitive
3%

Extremely competitive
0%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
89%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
11%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
53%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
1%

Every day
46%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
0%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
1%

Every day
99%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
84%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
16%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Easy
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Most careers in this difficulty category usually don’t require a degree. However, you will need a few months of on-the-job training with experienced employees. Similar careers include Customer Service Representatives, Security Guards, and Bank Tellers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
18%

High School Diploma or equivalent
73%

Post-Secondary Certificate
3%

Some College Courses
6%

Associate’s Degree or similar
0%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
0%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

No majors found

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
63%

1 month
28%

1 to 3 months
0%

3 to 6 months
0%

6 months to 1 year
0%

1 to 2 years
4%

2 to 4 years
0%

4 to 6 years
0%

6 to 8 years
0%

8 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
6%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
38%

1 month
61%

1 to 3 months
1%

3 to 6 months
0%

6 months to 1 year
0%

1 to 2 years
0%

2 to 4 years
0%

4 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Helper

People with this personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.

The Builder
57%

People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


The Thinker
14%

People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.


The Artist
19%

People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.


The Helper
81%

People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.


The Leader
76%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
29%

People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.


You can read more about these career personality types here.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

Work Values

Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?

Achievement
29%

You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Working Conditions
26%

You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.

Recognition
33%

You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.

Relationships
48%

You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support
43%

You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.

Independence
43%

You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.

FAQ


Don’t know which career to pursue?

Take the career quiz to find careers that match your personality type.

Take The Career Quiz